Improvement in air-vent attachments for bungs



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES TALLEY, JR, oF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR-VENT ATTACHMENTS FOR BUNGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,298, dated May 9, 1876; application filed April 1, 1876.

Improved Bung and Automatic Air-Vent At tachment therefor; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention relates to aV'ent-tube adapted for use in connection with a bung for beer and other casks. The novel features of the device are as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the bung and air-vent attachment thereof on line 00 m, Fig. 2. Fig; 2 is a plan vlew.

The bung A is constructed of wood, and tapered in the usual manner. A recess or cavity, a, is formed in its top, the depth of which is nearly half the length of the bung. A hole is bored vertically through the center of the bung, and the tube B is driven into it, the parts being made to fit tightly together, so as to form practically one device. The conical end of the tube projectsbelow the bung, and its top projects upward in the cavity a, but not to the top of the bung, so that itis protected while the bung is being driven, also while the cask is in use or being transported. The tube has vent-openings c c in the; part below the bung, and the vent-opening d in the part projecting into the cavity a. The vent or admission of air is controlled at will by means of a valve or plug, 0, provided with a stem,f, and spiral spring g. The latter encircles the stem f, being confined by a collar, 2', on the stem and shoulders 70 on the side of the tube. When pressure is applied to a notched thumb-piece, l, on the upper end of the stem, the spring g is compressed and the valve forced down past the openings 0 0, thus allowing free ingress of air through openings d c and the body of the tube. When pressure is removed, the spring raises the valve, thereby again shutting off the vent, as will be readily understood. I form projections 12 on the inner side of the tube A by indenting or bending in the shell of the same, as shown,

' which enables me to cheapen the manufacture of the vent attachment as compared with venttubes provided with pins, or cast-metal lugs, for the same purpose. A T-head, m, is formed on the lower end of the stem f to engage or look withthe lugs a. To effectvthe lock, the stem is forced down till the head m passes between the lugs a, when the thumb-piece is turned a quarter round to bring the head m underneath the lugs 00. The valve will thus be held below openings 0 c, and the vent-passages left open for free admission of air to the cask, thus enabling the operator to relieve himself of the necessity of holding down the valve-rod when drawing from the cask. The

automatic action of the vent is effected by the spring 9 yielding to the pressure of the atmosphere upon the valve, which forces it down below the openings 0 c. A hole is formed in the upper end of the valve-stem'for the insertion of a wire, 0, to secure and seal the piston, also to prevent it being forced down accidentally. The top of the bung is in prac- I tice provided with a band, 10, of metal, to prevent the wood being Split in driving or extracting the bung. 7

By the above-described construction and combination'of parts, I form a simple, inexpensive device, which can be supplied to brewers, distillers, and original-package men at a cost but little over common bungs, and which will prove of vast benefit to such, by preventing the great loss now occasioned by bungs being lost, liquors soured, and dirty casks and barrels being returned, as when the old method of venting is adopted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The valve-stem, provided with the hole to receive the wire 0, as shown and described, whereby the valve may be locked above 'the vent-holes, as specified.

2. The vent-tube, having its sides indented or bent in to form shoulders at to engage with the T-head of the valve-rod, as shown and described.

JAMES TALLEY, JR.

Witnesses:

B. L. WooDsoN, O. W. WHITErfEAn. 

